Why Primary Elections Matter More Than You Think

Most Americans focus on the general election in November. But what if the real decision is happening months earlier? In this episode of Top of Mind, we take a closer look at primary elections, the often-overlooked part of the political process that determines who actually makes it onto the final ballot. In fact, in many districts, whoever wins the primary is almost guaranteed to win the general election. So why don’t more people vote in primaries? And are the rules of the system helping or hurting our democracy? Host Julie Rose speaks with advocates for and against primary election reform to discuss new possibilities for a more representative future. GUESTS Nick Troiano, founder of Unite America and author of “The Primary Solution: Rescuing Our Democracy from the Fringes” (https://www.uniteamerica.org/). Charlie Buckles, deputy chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party and a delegate to five Republican National Conventions. Doug Goodman, an independent voter and founder of Nevadans for Election Reform (https://www.facebook.com/Nevadansforelectionreform/). Rob Boatright, a political science professor at Clark University, and author of several books on the history of primary elections (https://wordpress.clarku.edu/rboatright/). Top of Mind episode about money in politics - https://www.byuradio.org/top-of-mind-what-can-we-do-about-americas-money-in-politics-problem Top of Mind episode about rebuilding trust in elections - https://www.byuradio.org/top-of-mind-what-will-it-take-to-rebuild-american-trust-in-elections CHAPTERS (0:00) Introduction (1:31) Nick’s Run and Wake Up Call (4:45) The Case for One Ballot (13:25) Louisiana Switchback Debate (25:40) Polarization and Primaries (31:46) Fixing Weak Parties (34:49) Ballot Initiatives Roadblocks (36:25) Ranked Choice Voting Explained (37:47) Nevada Top Five Proposal (43:58) Ranked Choice Critiques (45:03) Turnout Versus Rule Changes (45:55) National Primary Day Idea (50:04) Conclusion